Prompt Service And Filling Fare Makes Max`s Worth The Effort

April 3, 1986

Advertising plays large at Max`s Place in Sunrise. Jumbo ads spouting the deli-restaurant`s specialties jump out at passers-by in the Welleby Plaza in Sunrise. But perhaps the best and most flattering advertising is its brimming lunchtime crowd, a crowd that`s worth following.

Max`s Place is a combination delicatessen and restaurant that looks like a cafeteria. The brightly lighted eatery is plainly decorated, with beige tables and brown ceiling fans. The closely set green vinyl-backed chairs and booths give it the look of a 1950s cafeteria.

The look is accented by the casual attitude in service. Patrons seat themselves, but are quickly attended by friendly and informative waitresses who are swift to offer eating suggestions.

Max`s Place has a wide and varied menu that includes salads, sandwiches, soups, burgers and even hot dogs. Prices on the sandwich board range from $2.15 for egg salad to $3.75 for hot corned beef, hot pastrami and tongue.

Sandwiches are served on either rye, white or bagel, and include cole slaw and pickles.

For salad lovers, Max`s offers two serving sizes. For the very hungry there is the maxi-sized plate; for the not-so-hungry the molly-sized plate. Salad plates range from $2.75 for the molly tropical salad plate of fruit and cottage cheese, to $5.25 for the maxi nova platter of sliced nova, lettuce, tomatoes, onion and cream cheese.

Other salads are: the chef`s salad bowl, $3.75 for the molly size, $4.75 for the maxi size; chunky chicken salad, $2.75 for the molly size, $3.75 for the maxi size; and whitefish salad platter, $2.95 for the molly size, $3.95 for the maxi size. Salads come with choice of bagel, bialy or bread.

On a recent lunch, the Budget Diner and guest sat at one of the few remaining empty tables. Although the restaurant was packed, two waitresses came quickly to attend to the Budget Diner and guest.

The Budget Diner chose the tuna fish salad platter, opting for the larger maxi size for $3.75. The tuna fish salad was arranged on a bed of lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers. The tuna salad was deliciously light and fresh, with bits of pickle and onion that added flavor. The tuna salad was flanked by two same-sized scoops of egg salad and cole slaw. The egg salad was delightfully spicy and had bits of carrot in it. The platter was filling, but the Budget Diner enjoyed the tuna salad so much that more tuna and less cole slaw would have been nice.

The guest chose the belly buster sandwich for $4.75, which proved to be just that. The sandwich offers a choice of two meats and bread, topped with French dressing. Cole slaw and potato salad are also included with the sandwich. The guest`s choice was rye bread, salami and bologna, and the doubledecker sandwich was stuffed full with meat.

After the meal the guest was too full for dessert, but the Budget Diner felt tempted by the dessert menu, which included New York cheesecake for $2.25, carrot and chocolate cake for $1.75 and fruit pies for $1.45. Unfortunately, the waitresses who had been so prompt at the beginning of the meal were not to be found. After about 10 minutes the Budget Diner gave up, leaving with the desire for sweets unsatisfied.